Continuous braking system applicable to long freight-trains with loose couplings.



C. H. V. SABOURET. CONTINUOUS BRAKING SYSTEM APPLICABLE TO LONG FREIGHT TRAINS WITH LOOSE COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 6. I91 I.

Patented Oct. 26,1915.

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nnrrnn s'ra rns rarnnr oration CHARLES HYAGINTHE VICTOR SABOURET, 0F PABIS,'FRANCE.

CONTINUOUS BEAKING SYSTEM APPLICABLE TO LONG FREIGHT-TRAINS WITH LOOSE COUPLINGS.

Application filed September 6, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES HYAOINTHE VICTOR SABOURET, a citizen of the Republic of France, and resident of Paris, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Continuous Braking Systems Applicable to Long F reight-Trains. with Loose Couplings, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification. V

The present invention relates to a system of continuous shockless braking applicable to long freight trains with loose connections. This system does not make use of a new type of brake, but comprehends a new method of using Westinghouse, Wenger, Knorr and other well known automatic brakes of ordinary type, with the assistance of special apparatus.

It has for its object, from the standpolnt of braking, to divide the train into two sections which are separated by a check valve so arranged that, on the one hand, pressure coming from the locomotive by way of the brake pipe is free to expand through the entire pipe up to the tail section of the train, and that, on the other hand, release of pres sure from the locomotive forces the valve to close automatically, which thus insures braking of the head section without, occasioning braking of the tail section. Braking of the tail section can be effected by the automatic operation of a double valve combined with the check valve.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which there is shown a sectional view of the check valve and double valve for controlling the brake of the tail section of the train.

The brake pipe of the train extends, as is customary, throughout the entire length of the train, but it is sufficient to provide only a fraction of the cars, for instance onefourth, or one-third, with brakes, in operation. 7

From the standpoint of braking, the train is divided into two parts: (1) the head sec tion, comprisingrfour to SlX brakes; (2) the tail section, comprising the rest of the train. Between thelast car of the head section, and the first car of the tail section is inserted a portable casing containing a special double valve. This casing is connected to the sleeves or hose pipes by ordinary coupling devices, and it contains, as shown, an inlet valve A and an exhaust valve E. The valve Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.,

Serial No. 647,880.

A, which is an ordinary check valve, admits the compressed air supplied by the engine into the tail section and prevents it from escaping therefrom, while the valve E, by its movement permits the air to exhaust from the tail section directly to the atmosphere. The casing of the valve E, is provided with two chambers C and C, the chamber G communicating, by way of the passage 2', with the interior of the check valve casing in front of the check valve A, while the chamber 0 communicates with the said check valve casing, by way of the passage 2', at the rear of said check valve. The aforesaid valve E, which may be properly termed a difierential valve, consists of two disks 0? and d connected together, the disk d having a surface area which is some- What greater than that of the disk d for example, the area of the second disk may be three-fourths that of the first disk. When the air pressure in chamber C is more than three-fourths of that in chamber C, the disk d will remain closed, and will prevent the escape of air from chamber C, but said disk 03 will open and permit the air in said chamber C to escape therefrom and, by the pas sage c" from the tail section, when the pressure in chamber C falls below three-fourths of that in chamber (1. A very light spring r exerts its pressure upon the differential valve, and serves to close the disk d when the pressure in chamber U rises to a point slightly above atmospheric pressure.

The cock, (not shown), of the equalizing discharge automatic brake which is mounted on the engine, causes the pressure in the head section, when placed in the slow discharge position, to sink to between 3 and 2 kg, this pressure being suflicient for braking the head section but insufficient for braking the tail section. To brake the latter section, itis only necessary to move the handle of the cock into quick-discharge position.

If the braking of the locomotive and its tender by the ordinary devices, (an adjustable brake, for instance), be taken into consideration, it will be apparent that the complete braking of the train is thus divided into three successive stages, viz (1), progressive braking of the locomotive and tender by the adjustable brake; (2), braking of the head section by the automatic brake; (3), braking of the tail section by the automatic brake.

In order to avoid any sudden shocks upon the couplings, it is suflicient to give to the first stage a minimum duration of from ten to twenty seconds, according to the speed and composition of the train, and to the second stage a duration of from five to ten seconds. By operating in this manner, a progressive and smooth slackening of all the couplings of the train is obtained on the slightly braked head, and any violent shocks.

that would be produced by sudden application of brakes on the whole of the train are done away with.

In practice, the first stage or step alone is carried out for slackening and stops during maneuvering, the first two stages for normal stops, and the three stages for emergency stops. By means of this combination of stages, and owing to the special apparatus which renders it possible, the ordinary compressed air brake is given an adjustability and a flexibility which at present it does not possess, and the absence of which prevents it from being applied direct to verylong trains with loose couplings.

In order to automatically regulate the minimum of duration of the second stage, (from five to ten seconds), the double valve may be'modified by'increasing the capacity of the chamber C in front ofthe differential exhaust valve E, and narrowing the passage or conduit 2', which latter establishes communication between the said chamber C and the main pipe. If the engineer moves the automatic cock into quick discharge position at the beginning ofthe second stage, the

' pipeat the head section will be almost instantaneously emptied, the pressure in that pipe being about 4 kg. But the exhaust valve of the modified double valve cannot become operative until the pressure of the air in the chamber C has fallen to about 1 kg. and it is easy to cause this expansion from 4: kg. to one kg. to last ten seconds by combining the section of'the narrowed passage z' with the volume of the chamber C. Owing to this modification, the engineer has to'make only two manipulations instead, of three, and both of them home; first, that of the adjustable cock and then that of the automatic cock, as soon as the connection of the two cocks renders it possible.

For very long trains, it may be advantageous toaccelerate the braking of the tail section during the third stage. It is sufficient for this purpose to add a second double valve which acts as an accelerator, said valve differing from the ordinary doublevalve merely in the relative proportions of the disks (1 and a. By giving to the areas of these disks the proportion of 1 4 for instance, instead of 3 4', the exhaust will be'brought about by a drop of 1:4 instead of 3 4 in front of the double valve.

I claim as my invention V l. A system of continuous braking for long freight trains, comprising an inlet casing for the motive fluid coupled in the main brake pipe and dividing the train into two sections; a check valve arranged in said casing and'opening toward the rear thereof; anexhaust casing for the motive, fluid structurally separate from the inlet casing and disposed at one side thereof, said inlet and exhaust casings being in communication with each other; and a differential valve arranged in said exhaust casing.

2. 'A system of continuous braking for long freight trains comprising a valve casingcoupled in the main brake pipe and dividing the train into two sections, a check valve movable in said casing and opening toward the rear part of said pipe, a cylindrical casing communicating with the first named casing in front of and behind said check valve, and a differential valve movable in said'cyl-indrical casing and consisting of a pair of connected disks having different surface areas, the said cylindrical casing having an outlet opening which communicates directly with the atmosphere and which is capable of communicating with the first-named casing at the rear of the check valve.

3. A system of continuous braking for long freight trains comprising a valve casing coupled in the main brake pipe and dividing the train into two sections, a check valve movable in said casing and opening toward the rear part of said pipe, a cylindrical casing having a relatively large internal chamber communicating by a narrow passage with the first-named chamber in front of said check valve and an outlet opening which communicates directly with the atmosphere and which is capable of communication with said first-named chamber at the rear ofsaid check valve, and a differential valve movable in the second-named casing between said passage and said outlet and consisting of a pair of connected disks having different surface areas.

4. A system of continuous braking for long freight trains comprising a valve casing coupled in the main brake pipe and dividing the train into two sections, a check valve movable in said casing, a casing communicating with the first-named casing, and a differential valve movable in the secondnamed casing.

5. A system of continuous braking for long freight trains, comprising an inlet casing for the motive fluid coupled in the main brake pipe and dividing the train into two sections; a check valve arranged in said casing and opening toward the rear thereof; an exhaust casing for the motive fluid structurally separate from the inlet casing and disposed at one side thereof; and a differential valve arranged in said exhaust casing bers and a connection between them, said In testimony whereof I have signed this inlet and exhaust casings being in communispecification in the presence of two subcation with each other both in advance of scribing Witnesses.

both said check valve and of the front mem- CHARLES HYACINTHE VICTOR SABOURET. ber of said diiferential valve, and also in Witnesses:

rear of said check Valve and between the GASTON DEMOGET,

members of said differential Valve. DEAN B. MASON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

